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Easy Ways to Increase the Amount of Walking You Do

Okay, no more excuses! You know you should be walking more. You have heard about the deadly dangers of simply sitting. So why don’t you walk enough? The reasons are many.

Technology, laziness, busy schedules and a number of other causes have led to a very sedentary society. You understand the wonderful heart and overall health benefits of walking. So start practicing the following 5 tips to keep you on the move and you will find yourself walking your way to a healthier lifestyle.

Get Your Desire Involved

Do this. Find a picture of yourself when you were in great shape. If you don’t have such a picture, locate a picture of someone who looks like you want to look. Keep that picture with you at all times, referring to it often when you catch yourself not walking enough. Every time you look at that picture, tell yourself that is the way you want to look. This can easily keep you motivated and walking your way to the weight and shape you desire.

Keep a Log

You have probably heard about the “10,000 steps a day” path to better health. One easy way to find out if you are walking enough is to actually keep track of that information. Log how much time you spend walking each day, each week and each month. Consistently push yourself to increase those daily, weekly and monthly totals.

Ditch the Car for Short Trips

This is a no-brainer way to walk more and become healthier. Walking instead of driving also delivers the added bonus of fresh air and sunshine, getting you out in nature. Whenever you can, stash the car keys and walk to your destination instead of driving.

Join a Club of Like-Minded People

When you are sitting on your couch or computer chair complaining about your level of fitness, you don’t accomplish much. However, when you hang out with other people that are also trying to walk more and get in shape, it is suddenly easier to get up and get moving. Join a hiking or walking club and you may experience the added benefit of meeting some wonderful new friends.

Pull the Plug

Try this, I promise it won’t kill you. Pull the plug on your television set. Cancel your cable or satellite subscription. People spend entirely too much time staring at their televisions. Time is not guaranteed to anyone. Do you really want to spend yours voluntarily turning your brain to mush when you could be out walking, exercising and enjoying a fit and healthy lifestyle?

Buy a Pedometer or Fitness Tracker

There are excellent fitness tracking consumer electronics devices and pedometers that record how many steps you take each day. They require absolutely no work on your part, other than actually walking. They automatically adjust for normal movement and deliver pretty accurate results. If you want to walk more, you need to know how much you are walking now, and a pedometer is great for this.